Emerging Writers' Mentor Program

EMERGING WRITERS' MENTOR PROGRAM

The Emerging Writers’ Mentor Program engages Black writers from diverse genres in a six-month program that promotes the "writing life," hones literary craft, and supports the production of new works by the participating writers. This initiative is on hiatus until we can secure additional funding for this vibrant and much-needed program. Please consider becoming a sponsor for this program. Thank you!

"One of the most brilliant groups that I have encountered."– Ishmael Reed, National Mentoring Writer 2009

Since 2007, The Givens Foundation has offered ten emerging Minnesota-based writers the opportunity to work intensively with one National Mentor for three days and two State of Minnesota Mentors, all of whom are nationally acclaimed writers. Selected participants work for six months with the two State Mentors, and all participants and the Minnesota-based mentors give a public reading at the end of the program.

Major support for The Givens Foundation activities is provided by Givens Foundation individual donors, The Edward J. Phillips Family Foundation, Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, Target Foundation. This activity is made possible by voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.